Small and medium-sized enterprises in defence procurement
Tabled 7 April 2025 by Helen Maguire
That this House recognises the vital role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK defence industry, providing innovation, flexibility and high-quality jobs across the country; notes with concern the longstanding inefficiencies in the Ministry of Defence’s procurement system, including delays, overspends and inflexible processes that restrict SME participation; believes that defence procurement must be reformed to be more adaptable, accountable and strategically integrated into a broader industrial strategy; urges the Government to support the better integration of SMEs into the domestic supply chain, enabling them to further contribute to developing the UK's sovereign defence capabilities; calls on the Government to secure a UK-EU defence pact which would enable access for UK firms to European defence funding programmes; and further calls on the Government to support the development of a rearmament bank with our partners in Europe, providing further access to finance for UK firms.
Signatories (23)
- Helen Maguire Sponsor
- Zöe Franklin
- Ian Roome
- Ian Sollom
- Pippa Heylings
- Brian Mathew
- Edward Morello
- Jim Shannon
- Jess Brown-Fuller
- Gideon Amos
- Claire Young
- Sarah Dyke
- Martin Wrigley
- Adam Dance
- Tom Morrison
- Richard Foord
- David Chadwick
- Clive Jones
- Mr Angus MacDonald
- Alex Brewer
- Mr Will Forster
- Sarah Gibson
- Dr Al Pinkerton